pierce



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. 0. PIERCE.

GATE.

No. 398,798. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

WITNESSES I f w I orney 2 Sheets--Sheet 2,

w. '0. PIERCE.

GATE.

Patented-Feb. 26, 1889.

N. PEYERS, Phuto-Lflhogmphnr. Wnhingon. I10.

(No Model.)

llNlTED STnTns \VILLIAM O. PIERCE, OF SAQRAMENTO, 1'

iSIGNOR OF ONE-HAL? T0 MAX.

MIERSON, OF PLACERVTL'LE, (ALIFORNL t.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,798, dated February26, 1889.

Application filed September 6, 1388- $erial No. 284,696. No model.) 7

T 0 dz 1071 0720 it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wnnmin 0. linncn, a citizen of the Chit-ed States ofAmerica, residing at Sacramento, in the count ot' fiacra- 1 and in linewith the pulley I", is a post, I),

mento and State of (Qalifm-nia, have invented certain new and useful lmn'ovcments in Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact: description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use thesame, reference being bad to the companying drawings, and to letters orfig u res of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to that class of tilting gates designed to beopened and closed by a hand-lever.

The object of the invention is to provide gates of this character withan automatic gravitating catch, to which the operating-levers areconnected, and with a coui'iter-balance tending to raise the free end ofthe gate.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and cheapcn gates ofthis description.

To this end the invention consists in novel Features and combinations,to be hereinafter described and claimed.

,In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gateembodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,showing the stipporting-frame in section.

The rear lower corner ot the gate A is provided with a transversespindle, c, which is journaled in bearings in the lower ends of the sideposts, B, of the T-shaped supportingframe. These side posts are double,being each constructed of two vertical timbers arranged at such distanceapart as to admit of the play of the inner ends of the operatingdevers Cbetween them. The two top timbers, B B of this frame are arranged one,B, between the upper ends of the side posts, and the other, H, to restupon the upper edge of the timber B and the upper ends of the sideposts, as shown in Fig. 1. The timber B is provided at a pointmidwaybetween the side posts with a gain, within which is journaled agrooved spool or pulley, b, and stout metal straps If depend from theouter ends of this timber, between the lower ends Of which theopcrat-irig-levers are 'i'ulcrumcd. V

Directly in rear of the supporting-t'rame,

provided at top with a grooved pulley, (1', and connected to the centerof thc cross-timbers of the supporting-frame by an inclined brace, D,having a longitudinal mortise, (Z near its upper on d. I prefer to guardthe pulleys Z) d with wire or other guide loops, 1) d, as shown, toprevent the accidental displacement of a cord or rope passing over them.

At the rear lower corner of the gate A, I arrange inclined way or waysA, on which or in which a gravity-catch, A is mounted to slide freely.The way or ways A maybe of any known construction, and should bearranged at an angle of about forty-live degrees with relation to thebottom and end pieces of the gate in order that the catch may be carriedthe same distance from the pivot to of the gate when the latter ateither extreme of its limit of movement. I prefer, however, to form theway of a single metal rod connected at its ends to the hinge-post andbottom rail of the gate, as this is simple, cheap, and efficient, andserves, in connection with the nuts a upon its threaded ends, as anadjustingbrace for the gate. The automatic catch used in connection withthis diagonal way consists of a rectangular metal block, A provided centrally with an eye, through which the rod A passes, and connected at itsends to the inner ends of the operating-levers C- by means of ropes orchains 0. The inner ends of these levers are provided with adjustablecounterbalance-weights c, and the outer ends, C, of the lovers arearranged at angles to the inner ends to cause said outer ends tooverhang the roadway, bringing the pull-cords 0 within convenient reachofthc occupant of a vehicle.

The keeper-post E provided at top with a Vshaped notch, c, to receiveand guide a stud or pin, a", projecting from the top of the free end ofthe gate, the face of said post being also provided at its lower endwith a forked keepenblock, e, to receive the lower corner of the gate.The post D is also provided at the lower end with a forked keeper-block,(l to receive the upper end of the hinge-post of the gate when thelatter is in its open position.

A rope or chain, F, is secured to the free end of the gate at top,passing thence over the pulley 11', through. the mortise d of the braceD, and thence over pulley cl of post D, the end being provided with asuitable weight or counterpoise, f, as shown in Fig. 2. Owing to thearrangement of this weighted rope over the pulley b, it will be seenthat the initial movement of the gate in either direction is assisted bythe weight f, thus necessitating but a slight pull on the hand-cord, andthat when the free end of the gate has passed its center of gravity,either in opening or elosin g, the weight f will serve to check themovement of the gate, thus preventing undue shocks in opening orclosing.

I11 operation the outer end of one of the op crating-levers is drawndown, thus raising one end of the catch, normally positioned at thelower end of the way, and causing it to grip or bind upon the rod orway, the force thus applied exerting a lifting action upon the free endof the gate until the catch reaches a point in a vertical plane with thepivot or spindle a of the gate, or, in other words, untilthe gate hasnearly reached its limit of movement. During this time the weight f,through rope F, exerts a lifting action on the free end of the gateuntil the point of connection of cord to gate has reached a pointdirectly beneath the pulley b, when the gate is practically inequilibrium, after which the action of the weight willbe to retard thefurther movement of the gate, thus lessening the shock or jar incidentto a sudden stoppage at the limit of movement.

Vhen the gate is entirely open or closed, the hand-rope is released andthe automatic catch will slide down to the lower end of the inclinedway, in readiness to move the gate in the opposite direction.

I claim 1. In a gate of the character described, the combination of thesupportirig-frame, the gate pivoted therein, the operating-levers, a wayor ways arranged diagonally across the rear lower corner of the gate,the automatic gravitating catch mounted thereon, and connections betweentheinner ends of the operatinglevers and the catch, substantially asdescribed. V

2. In a gate of the character described, the combination of thesupporting-frame, the gate pivoted at its rear lower corner between thelower ends of the side posts of said frame, the diagonally-arranged way,the automatic gravitating catch mount-ed thereon, the operating leverspivoted on the frame, a spool or pulley j ournaled in the top of theframe between the side posts, connections between the inner ends of theoperating-levers and the catch, and a weight, as f, connected to theupper free corner of the gate by a rope passing over the pulley on theframe, substantially as described.

3. In a gate of the character described, the combination of thesupporting-frame, the gate connected thereto at its rear lower corner bya pivot, a way consisting of a metal rod strained diagonally between thehinge-post and bottom rail of the gate, and an automatic catch mountedon said way, consisting of a rectangularmetal block having a central eyeto receive said way, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VIIILIAM (H). PIERCE.

Witnesses:

J. A. LovELL, W. H. SILVER.

